God Bless President Elect Obama and Vice president Biden and all Great Democrats and - what the heck - it's Christmas - May God Bless and Guide all of our elected officials and all good Americans, Red or Blue!

The main objective of the Bush Legacy Initiative seems to be that of paving the way for Jeb to move in where Cheney left off.

We better find a strong candidate to run against him for the Florida Senate seat in 2010...and make sure that nobody ever forgets that Spunky was also considered a super duper Governor.

Obama has maybe nine months to pass his agenda. The mid-term campaign is already being waged by the Bush Crime Family. Did anyone really think that Cheney would give up so easily?

Good night, Dems. Catch you tomorrow.

marymac_memphis on December 16, 2008 at 04:48 PM

Secretary Paulson says revealing the names of the institutions who have received assitance from the TARP would put their stock in jeopardy of collapse. That to me sounds like a cover story. Furthermore, if I was invested in a company that needed TARP funding, I would want to know. None the less, 20JAN09 will be here soon enough and then the veil of secrecy comes off.

In regards to Nancy Grace, she is a disgrace to juris prudence. That woman is a hack and a rabble rouser. Her only purpose appears to be tainting jury pools. She's an intellectual lightweight as well. But other than that, she's OK; cute kids.

CactusBarrack on December 16, 2008 at 06:38 PM

Comparing Krugman to Limbaugh is like comparing Einstein to a third grade science teacher that hit the lottery. Limbaugh does nothing but cash in on the idiocy of his regular listeners and serves no useful purpose.

One for the road...

The Cabinet's got game: Obama's other dream team

By LISA TOLIN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – President-elect Barack Obama had just one disclaimer when he announced former pro-basketball player Arne Duncan as his education secretary: "I did not select Arne because he's one of the best basketball players I know."

Still, he conceded, "I will say that I think we are putting together the best basketball-playing Cabinet in American history."

Not that they'd have much competition from the likes of John Foster Dulles, Henry Kissinger or Janet Reno.

"Over the presidencies of the 20th century there were Golf Cabinets, there were Poker Cabinets, and even I suppose Tennis Cabinets," said John Sayle Watterson, author of "The Games Presidents Play: Sports and the Presidency."

But basketball, he said, is a first. "I think this is sort of an updating of that."...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obama_basketball_cabinet

I also hear that he's a mean poker player which could be the reason Hillary decided to join his Cabinet. Diversified interests develop diversified skills and attract a diversified Cabinet. He's surrounding himself with multi-taskers like himself who like to compete hard and win.

Cheney probably wished he had had more talent to work with then the incompetent frat boys Bush attracted. The world is lucky he didn’t.

Hey right wing nuts, so you still can't face up to it:

YOU LOST THE ELECTION

YOU LOST IT BAD

GET OVER IT

PARIS (AP) – Police acting on a warning Tuesday found a bundle of dynamite inside a Paris department store at the height of the Christmas season, and a group demanding that France withdraw from Afghanistan claimed responsibility.

Sticks of dynamite tied together but without a detonator were found in the Printemps department store, a favored shopping destination for tourists, and a Christmas season attraction because of its festive window displays.

Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said the explosives appeared "relatively old." Police said they were found in the third floor restroom of the menswear department. Five sticks were found together, officials said.

"There was no risk of explosion," the minister said.

French news agency Agence France-Presse said it received a letter Tuesday morning from a group calling itself the Afghan Revolutionary Front saying that several bombs had been planted in the store. Police said they searched the store and found the dynamite because of the warning.

Alliot-Marie said the group was "totally unknown" to police but that the claim was being studied...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081216/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_explosives_defused

Be vigilant while doing your holiday shopping folks. There's no telling how many whack jobs the Bush Administration has created over the past seven years with an ax to grind.

Bush: "I Do A Lot Of Crying In This Job"

Robert Draper, author of the George Bush biography "Dead Certain," has written an article for GQ on the interviews that shaped the book. Some highlights:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/16/bush-i-do-a-lot-of-crying_n_151549.html

Oh yeah, boo hoo hoo Chimpy. I bet he doesn't do as much crying as the families of 4000 troops killed in a war of lies OR the Iraqi people who were killed for no reason. How about all the people the Chimp and Cheney had tortured to death? Who cries for them? They weren't proven to be guilty of anything except being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

No tears for Chimpy boy. Getting hit with shoes is a mild punishment indeed for what he done.

Bush Shoe Throwing "Somehow Appropriate": Newsweek Reporter

On "The Young Turks" radio show, Newsweek reporter Michael Hirsh said it was "somehow appropriate" that an Iraqi threw a shoe at President Bush during his recent visit to the country. "They have reason to be upset with the author of this," Hirsh elaborated, "and a shoe aimed at Bush's head I think is not such a terrible expression of some of that frustration."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/16/bush-shoe-throwing-someho_n_151389.html

Bush the murdered of at least one million Iraqi has some nerve showing his Chimp puss for a "victory lap". Go back to Crawford Chimpy and leave the world alone.

She's an intellectual lightweight as well. But other than that, she's OK; cute kids.

BobVADemocratHawk on December 16, 2008 at 07:00 PM

The same could be said of George W. Bush, Bob.

Let's raise the bar again in this country please. We should expect more of those who are in positions of power who can influence public policy.

Limbaugh is qualified to do nothing in life. He's never even tried according to his mother (per marymac's earlier link). Yet there he is helping to run our country into the ground when he's nothing more than a big mouth junkie/bigot.

Nancy Grace at least was a prosecutor before she started cashing in on all the media hype surrounding sensational court trials.

Pro-Business Group Sinks Over A Million Dollars Into Ad Linking Blago To Senate Dems And "Union Bosses"

Kicking off what promises to be a huge fight over labor's top legislative priority, a pro-business group is sinking over a million dollars into a TV ad campaign tying Rod Blagojevich to "union bosses" and calling on Democratic Senators in four states to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act.

The ad -- which was sent over by a source and hasn't been released to the press -- seeks to tar the Employee Free Choice Act as vaguely corrupt-sounding by tying it rather tangentially to the Blago mess. It's being aired by Americans for Job Security, a business-funded group that is expected to spend big money to sink the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for unions to organize and is labor's top goal for 2009:

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/12/pro-business_group_sinks_over.php

Screw the right wing nuts. Unions are all about decent jobs for American workers. This ploy won't work especially now.

4
BobVADemocratHawk on December 16, 2008 at 07:00 PM
================================================

Nancy Grace ... blah! I detest the sort of muckracking programming she does. I find no value at all in her broadcasting. She's on par with jerks such as Hannity, Beck and Billo.

Bob: A friend just introduced me to a good book: "Big Lies" by Joe Conason
It's really good!

So Jesse Jackson Jr was an FBI informant on Blago for years? Why didn't they indict Blago before? After all this time, you would think that an indictment is easy, and he wouldn't need a criminal complaint... that earned a $4,500 bond?

It's being reported that Fitz told Obama NOT to comment on the "criminal complaint." However, the MSM is running around saying Obama has answering to do. That's real fair... make someone stay silent while the MSM questions his character and ethics. I don't like it one bit. Tie someone's hand while they are being attacked in the WORLD media? I don't think that's justice or ethical.

Fitz needs to come out in a HUGE press conference and say President-Elect Obama and Rep Jackson are in NO way a target of this investigation, and are likely victims of Blago's shinanigans.

Now this is the sort of reporting I have grown to dislike (no knock against HuffPo specifically or Sam Stein who is generally pretty good):

The economic situation is shaping up to be increasingly crippling for the Obama team, even before they take office. The President-elect and his staff are focused on pinpointing "shovel ready projects" that will provide an immediate boost in terms of revenues and jobs. But economists are skeptical as to whether spending money on infrastructure and refitting schools will be enough.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/12/16/obama-on-economic-recover_n_151431.html

So, who are these unspecified economists that are skeptical? Do they have a different plan? I think it's time that journalists put people on the record rather than use unknown sources.

marymac_memphis on December 16, 2008 at 07:20 PM
================================================
Hi Mary, Joe Conason is an excellent writer.

Fitz needs to come out in a HUGE press conference and say President-Elect Obama and Rep Jackson are in NO way a target of this investigation, and are likely victims of Blago's shinanigans.
15
Big_Yellow_Dog on December 16, 2008 at 07:23 PM
=================================================
The Republicans have timed this all to generate immediate opposition to Obama. That's why they drafted Rove. Have you noticed that Rove has joined the chorus of attacks on Obama besides obstructing Obama's cabinet picks? I hope that Obama and the Dems very quickly realize that there won't be very much cooperation from the GOP. They haven't changed their ways at all. They need to lose even more seats in 2010 and 2012.

SandyH: I'm not a fan - at all - of Rush L. but I will admit that he has been successful. It's just that I wonder about all of those who take his word as 'gospel' when it comes to economics. He has no academic background and no 'real world' experience in the field. If he were to lecture on 'how to make a million dollars in broadcasting,' I would not doubt his expertise but when it comes to economics, why would anyone take his word over the word of those who have studied and had successful real world experience in the field.

bbl

SandyH on December 16, 2008 at 07:15 PM

Indeed one could, Sandy. 20JAN09 can't get here soon enough for me.

marymac_memphis on December 16, 2008 at 07:20 PM

Thanks for the tip, Mary.

Good night fellow Democrats. Keep the Faith and keep the faith. Yes we can, yes we will, and yes we did!

Dr Paul krugman was not even on the list, so much for being an "economic genius."

tsk.... these repugs worship at the alter of money, don't they? Everything measured by greasy wallets and how much they hold for ME, ME, ME! The sucess of a man is not measured by dollars, rather by his impact on the world when he leaves it.

When Rush Limbaugh leaves this world, it will be a far better off place.

For Immediate Release
Date: Monday, December 15, 2008
CONTACT: Jim Manley / Rodell Mollineau, Reid, (202) 224-2939
REID ANNOUNCES ANTICIPATED COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIPS FOR 111th CONGRESS
Washington, DC— Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today announced that he has made his recommendations to the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee regarding Committee Chairmanships for the 111th Congress. Final approval will be ratified with an Organizing Resolution when the Senate returns to session in January. Committee membership and ratios have yet to be resolved.
“I am pleased to recommend these capable men and women to chair the Senate’s Committees during the 111th Congress. We have much work to do and many challenges facing our nation. I know that these Senators will be able to deliver on the change that the American people have called for to help move our country in the right direction.”
The following are the list of anticipated Chairmanships for the 111th Congress:

Senator Herb Kohl, Chairman, Senate Special Committee on Aging

Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture

Senator Daniel Inouye, Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations

Senator Carl Levin, Chairman, Senate Committee on Armed Services

Senator Christopher Dodd, Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

Senator Kent Conrad, Chairman, Senate Committee on Budget

Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Chairman, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Senator Jeff Bingaman, Chairman, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Senator Barbara Boxer, Chairwoman, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works

Senator Max Baucus, Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance

Senator John Kerry, Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (upon the resignation of Senator Joseph Biden)

Senator Edward Kennedy, Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Senator Joseph Lieberman, Chairman, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Senator Byron Dorgan, Chairman, Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

Senator Dianne Feinstein, Chairwoman, Senate Intelligence Committee

Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary

Senator Charles Schumer, Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Administration

Senator Mary Landrieu, Chairwoman, Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (upon resignation of Senator Joseph Biden and Senator John Kerry assuming Chair of Foreign Relations)

Senator Daniel Akaka, Chairman, Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs

**Senate Committee on Ethics Chairperson will be recommended by the Senate Majority Leader and adopted by Senate resolution

**Joint Economic Committee Chairperson alternates with each Congress. The House of Representatives will chair the Committee in the 111th Congress

http://www.cq.com/flatfiles/editorialFiles/temporaryItems/2008/reid-chairs.pdf

SandyH: I'm not a fan - at all - of Rush L. but I will admit that he has been successful. It's just that I wonder about all of those who take his word as 'gospel' when it comes to economics. He has no academic background and no 'real world' experience in the field. If he were to lecture on 'how to make a million dollars in broadcasting,' I would not doubt his expertise but when it comes to economics, why would anyone take his word over the word of those who have studied and had successful real world experience in the field.

19marymac_memphis on December 16, 2008 at 07:40 PM

MaryMac, there is a lot of money to be made in the world of selling HATE ! And Rush Limbaugh does it best. There was a biography of him on Lifetime channel one time a few years back. He was fired from every job he ever had, until he hit on whetting up the Conservative base using hatred. He is a druggie. He was caught with Viagra entering a country where sex with little boys is the commodity there. He is a worthless example of a human being.

loggin out Dems.

Have a good evening, and bask in the glow as long as you can, of our Victory! Think of what a lousy Christmas our pet trolls will have this year!!! They got sour grapes and crow ! :)

He was caught with Viagra entering a country where sex with little boys is the commodity there.
PamB

Maybe he thought having a little wood made the front fall of his expensive tailored gabardine slacks better.

Maybe you shouldn't let that warped mind of yours wander. Rush doesn't have sex with little boys so just you saying that is very odd but then again you really are an odd person but you already know that. The neighborhood kids spray paint that all over the side of your house.

One has to wonder what drives a woman to post hateful messages about people she doesn't know, will never know. With virtually no knowledge of these strangers at all she invents lurid, vile and filthy stories about their lives and beliefs.

Like Barney Fife used to say... pitiful.

I disagree with parts of Obama's plans for education. I believe charter schools are a way of allowing businesses to profit from schools, and may be the end of our public school system.

I disagree most of all with his belief as he said today..that we must get high achievement from every child without making any excuses. Of course we have to make legitimate excuses...children are not machines and do not learn alike.

You are not going to get high achievement from every child on goals set by legislators.

You can not turn children into little learning machines. It turns education into a type of factory.

Hi all; I can't stay; just popping in to say hi.

And I was wondering how things were working out on that lawsuit regarding Obama's birth certificate?

AHAAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Poor stupid republican dupes.

"Charlie Wilson's War" is an interesting movie. I think a sequel is very possible because the true story continued, and it gets more interesting.

What happened after the Afgan Freedom fighters, now called the muhjahameden (sp), beat the Russians? Where and when does ol' Osama Bin Hidin come into play? Do they party on with the rockets? When does they turn on the US? Does this lead to 9-uh-leven, as Bush says? How does the Taliban play into the history?

Also, did the wealthy woman from Texas take on the mission to defeat the Russians, or was it also about getting at that oil?

I think the movie suggests that this strange mission, or war, had many unintended consequences.
I'd like to see a Part II.

And what's the story about Rep. Charlie Wilson (D) from SE Ohio? (He took Gov Strickland's seat.) The area had all kinds of signs that said "Re-elect Charlie Wilson," in red, white, and blue. I took one before seeing the movie. I hope this Charlie isn't such a character as Tom Hanks plays...

RJ, the troll think I'm you, global climate change is a myth, sending the military to war on lies is okay, and his wife wanted a mini-van to be cool. What a fool. See why America needs to invest more in education? Idiots are expensive.

"We traded our Buick for a Dodge mini van this year, my wife had to have one, don't know why, the kids are grown and gone, but, what ever."

13 CactusBarrack on December 12, 2008 at 12:49pm

I know why minivans are good to have, without kids. They are great for secret meet-ups, and save money... if you know what I mean. In case you have not figured it out, silly troll, let me help you out... while you're making hate with woman on-line 24/7, your wife has found something else to do. The irony. It's a shame you have forced her to carry on like that. I hope you know that you're on-line hate and aggression directed at helpless woman make you a very sad and pathetic excuse of a man. The joke is on you.

sally you don't know shit about global warming you always pick conservative web sight to try to explain away global warming all that does it s a liar, a fool, or both.

yeah sally thinks he perfect so he condems other people foe free will choice when he come on here and give republican the sleasiest in decades no trouble but democrats he wails on them when they have been only power for two years all the problem are on republican watch

Good morning Dems!

I don't think that I've posted for over a month, but I think you will enjoy this game I heard about at Rawstory. I had to share!

Go throw your own shoe at Dubya.
If you want to play go to:

http://www.sockandawe.com/

dusty, you have to understand that this blog and the folks here are the closest thing to 'friends' that steve/sally has. he posts that drivel about global warming he drags up from obscure sites to agggitate, nothing more,
Everything he posts can be disproved. You have to feel sorry for this creature with no life.

here's a good legitimate source

Scientific Assessment Captures Effects of a Changing Climate on Extreme Weather Events in North America

Among the major findings reported in this assessment are that droughts, heavy downpours, excessive heat, and intense hurricanes are likely to become more commonplace as humans continue to increase the atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.

The report is based on scientific evidence that a warming world will be accompanied by changes in the intensity, duration, frequency, and geographic extent of weather and climate extremes

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/20080619_climatereport.html

MN ????

57% of Major U.S. Cities Are Seeing Warmer Winters

San Francisco (WeatherBill.com) – Winter is getting warmer for 57 percent of some of the biggest cities

in the United States. That’s the latest finding from the weather risk managers at WeatherBill. The study

highlights temperature changes across 42 states and 130 cities and finds that more than half of the large
cities studied are experiencing an increase in winter temperatures, especially in the Midwest.

In the winter, November through February, 74 of the 130 cities studied show increasing temperatures.

Increases are most prevalent in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas and in the Midwest. Eight

Midwestern cities, including Minneapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee and Omaha, show at least a 0.2ºF increase

annually. That equals a 6.0ºF increase over a 30 year period. Cities are experiencing temperature

increases in every United States region except the Pacific.

The study uses thirty years of historical data from 130 National Weather Service Stations to determine

winter and summer temperature trends for U.S. cities with a population of at least 100,000.

Top Five Cities Experiencing Winter Warming Trends

#1 Minneapolis/ St. Paul, Minnesota

Annual Trend Temperature: 0.2°F

Over 30 Years: 6.4°F

It’s not Minnesota summers that bring in the tourists. Winters are the bread-and-butter for the state.

Warmer winters are bad news for the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The cities host winter

http://www.weatherbill.com/static/content/temperature_trends_summary_2007-09.pdf

Good morning, all!

I heard on CNN Radio that OPEC is going to shut off the spigot and jack the prices through the roof. This could be the camel that breaks Chimpy's straw back, so to speak.

Heck of a job, Chimpy Hoover.

Ice melting across globe at accelerating rate, NASA says

(CNN) -- Between 1.5 trillion and 2 trillion tons of ice in Greenland, Antarctica and Alaska have melted at an accelerating rate since 2003, according to NASA scientists, in the latest signs of what they say is global warming. This image shows the changing rate of mass in mountain glaciers on the Gulf of Alaska. Using new satellite technology that measures changes in mass in mountain glaciers and ice sheets, NASA geophysicist Scott Luthcke concluded that the losses amounted to enough water to fill the Chesapeake Bay 21 times.

One with any intelligence understands that Global Warming is measured over a period of time, not by a sudden blizzard ! But then, the trolls are not known for any intelligence, quite the opposite !!

They don't get the difference between "climate" and "weather".

They also don't get that pointing out these wild swings and anomalies is only backing up the fact that something is happening to the climate.

Time Magazine names Obama as "Person of the Year"

Well, duh.

I urge all LGBT Americans to boycott the Obama inauguration, since the Obama administration has invited the BIGOT Rick Warren to speak at the inauguration. LGBT Americans need to reassess there support off the Obama campaign. Appearantly the Obama campaign is trying to pull the usual corporate scam of bate and switch. The change Obama talked about is looking like more of the same old Reagan/Bush CRAP (christen, republican, anti-American, propaganda).

Is there anyone there?